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Licensee and Registrant

Responsibilities: Providing Adequate

Veterinary Care

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Facilities that are regulated under the Animal Welfare Act are required to do their

part to ensure the provision of adequate veterinary care.

Licensee and Registrant Responsibilities

Our regulations require licensees and registrants to:

Hire an attending veterinarian under formal arrangements. Formal

arrangements may be as extensive as a traditional contract for full time

employment or as simple as a written statement acknowledging the role of the

attending veterinarian.  Many times, a statement regarding the role of the

attending veterinarian is included as part of the written program of veterinary

care.

Provide the attending veterinarian with sufficient authority to ensure

the provision of adequate veterinary care for the animals and to oversee all

other areas of animal care and use. This includes both communicating with the

attending veterinarian about all issues related to animal health, behavior and

well-being; and also following the AV’s directions for medical care, husbandry,

and other aspects of animal use.

Establish and follow programs of adequate of veterinary care to

prevent, control, diagnose, and treat diseases and injuries. Programs will vary

by facility; however, they typically include parasite control measures, injury

care, disease treatment, proper use and administration of vaccines, pest and

vector control measures, nutrition, and reproduction. For dogs, this also

includes coordinating annual veterinary physical examinations.

Perform daily observation of all animals to assess health and well-being.

Provide appropriate facilities and equipment for adequate veterinary

care. These may include such considerations as an appropriate area for the

quarantine of new animals, the isolation and treatment of sick animals, and

measures for the appropriate storage of medications and vaccines.

Establish care plans for pre-procedural and post-procedural care and for

observing animals on weekends, holidays, and in emergencies.

Ensure that they have appropriate guidance and provide training to

personnel who are performing any kind of immobilization, anesthesia,

analgesia, tranquilization, euthanasia, or other veterinary medical procedures.

It is up to the attending veterinarian to make determinations regarding which, if
any, veterinary medical procedures may be conducted by facility personnel.  If

the attending veterinarian determines that it is appropriate, they should also be

providing detailed guidance on any procedures they approve.  This guidance is

typically documented in the written program of veterinary care. Note: It is not a

requirement for facilities to be able to use or have access to anesthesia or

tranquilizers.  In fact, most facilities do not have the use of these medications

without having a veterinarian present. 

Work with their attending veterinarian to develop a written program

of veterinary care for dogs and/or in the case of a part-time attending

veterinarian or consultant arrangement.  Licensees and registrants are required

to follow all instructions in the written program of veterinary care.